RED CLIFF, Wis. — As you drive toward Frog Bay Tribal National Park, the dirt road becomes narrower and narrower until it just ends. A sandy cul-de-sac and simple sign next to a blocked-off trail is the only clue that you’ve reached the newest tract of northern Wisconsin’s preserved Lake Superior shoreline and one of the few tribal national parks in the nation.

“As a sovereign nation, we decided to name it a national park to highlight how it will be preserved and kept in its natural state,” said Bryan Bainbridge, the Red Cliff tribe’s lead fisheries technologist who helps oversee and manage the park.

The 89-acre boreal forest, which includes a quarter-mile of uninhabited Lake Superior shoreline, was privately owned until recently. But thanks to a series of conversations, one couple’s legacy, the efforts of a regional land trust organization and a strong commitment by the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa to retrieve a rich part of its natural history, the land will be preserved forever.

IT STARTED WITH AN AUCTION

“I’d always been interested in buying acreage somewhere,” said 94-year-old Madison, Wis., resident David Johnson. In the 1980s, while thumbing through a catalog of county land auctions, he noticed a parcel that included a quarter-mile of Lake Superior shoreline.

The minimum bid was $30,000. This usually would be above his price point, but he had inherited $50,000 so he took a chance. He bid $34,000 and won. A few days later, he remembers getting a call from a county secretary.

“She said to me, ‘You realize there’s no way to get to the land but by boat, right?’ I knew that. But I was in my late 50s and I figured I’d live another 30 years at least and maybe by then it’d be worth something.”

Soon after, Johnson said the owner of the neighboring property offered to sell him the road into the property for $12,000. He bought it immediately with a hunch that someday it would pay off.

His hunch was right. Today, the property is appraised at $956,000. The only problem was that he and his wife, Marjorie, fell in love with the land and didn’t want to see it developed if they sold it.

Johnson shared his hidden gem of the north with various friends, including Tia Nelson. Nelson, the daughter of Gaylord Nelson, Wisconsin’s former U.S. senator and governor, wanted to help Johnson find a way to preserve the property.

“Tia Nelson walked into my office and said we needed to do something about Frog Bay,” said Ellen Kwiatkowski, executive director of Bayfield Regional Conservancy.

Kwiatkowski wanted to help. After all, the BRC’s mission is to protect land, waters, forests, farms and places of scenic, historic and spiritual value in the Bayfield region.

She began negotiating with the Red Cliff tribe to return the property to them with a legally binding conservation easement that the BRC would hold. The tribe agreed. The only remaining factor was how to pay for the property.

“David (Johnson) couldn’t afford to donate the entire property,” Kwiatkowski said. BRC and Red Cliff didn’t have the money to buy it outright.

But Kwiatkowski knew the cultural and historical significance of the property made it a prime candidate for a Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

BRC went on to successfully write the grant, which she said ended up being one of the top five projects in the nation. The $488,000 grant allowed the tribe to purchase the land at half its value with Johnson donating the rest and the BRC holding the conservation easement.

It is easy to understand why this project ranked so high. A short jaunt along the old dirt driveway leads to a natural dirt path engulfed by a canopy of hemlock and cedar — unusual for a region that was hit by the logging boom.

RARE AND ENDANGERED

“This is one of the oldest boreal forests in northern Wisconsin,” Bainbridge said. “It is unusual to see such an older growth forest that hasn’t been touched for decades.”

A number of rare and endangered plants hide in the woods — their names kept secret in hopes of keeping collectors away. Northwoods creatures outnumber people in this park with deer, pine marten, coyote, wolves and black bears among them.

After a peaceful, winding walk through the dense forest, a sandy white beach and the bright blue waters of Lake Superior greet visitors. The bay, which got its name for being home to a lot of chirping frogs, has historical significance.

“Natives would go to gatherings by water and come by Frog Bay,” Kwiatkowski said. “The sheltered harbor provided a safe place out of harm’s way on their way to their destination.”

The beach now provides a quiet spot for reflection. Across the bay, visitors can enjoy views of the Apostle Islands Gaylord Nelson Wilderness Area, including several of the islands. The nearby Frog Bay Estuary filters water before it makes its way to Lake Superior and is home to wild rice beds.

LAND STEWARDSHIP

The effort took more than two years and would not have happened without the expertise of the BRC. Michael Strigel, executive director of the statewide association for local land trusts called Gathering Waters, commends the collaboration and said it reflects a growing trend in Wisconsin.

He said as of 2010, Wisconsin land trusts have been involved in preserving more than 280,000 acres within the state. He credits landowners for being more strategic about their options.

“There are tax benefits to doing this because it also benefits the public,” he said. “But it is also because they are thinking about their legacy.”

Strigel explained that regional land trusts became more popular about 25 years ago, even though the first one — in Wisconsin’s Door County — began 75 years ago. One aspect that’s appealing to land owners is that the trusts have some flexibility.

“We have a nimbleness that would be impossible for local government units,” Strigel said. “We can use private funds and our local connections to preserve places that are important.”

In addition, the landowners’ efforts are permanent, regardless of current or future political issues.

Back at Frog Bay Tribal National Park, this undeveloped parcel of land mostly will remain untouched. Bainbridge said plans include creating more miles of rustic trails by the fall of 2013 and perhaps a suspension bridge over a ravine. Amenities will be limited to a self-contained vault toilet. A donation box will be placed in the park, and all money will go directly to minimal maintenance.

This minimalist approach is what the Johnsons had dreamed of.

“I’m glad the land is public and open to everyone,” Johnson said. “I’m very happy that the tribe made that decision in addition to preserving it.”

Bainbridge said the tribe remains hopeful it can reclaim other parcels of tribal land.

This summer, Johnson made a trek to the woods for the public opening of the park, but without Marjorie, who passed away in June. But her legacy remains. That day, David Johnson dedicated the park to her memory in a simple gesture toward the woman and land he’ll always love.

Beth Probst is a freelance writer in Iron River, Wis.

GETTING THERE

From Twin Cities: Take Interstate 35 North to Duluth. In Duluth, take the U.S.-53 exit into Superior, Wis., and merge onto Highway 2 East. From there, take the Highway 13 exit toward Port Wing-Bayfield just outside Superior. Follow Highway 13 to Red Cliff, Wis. Turn left on Blueberry Lane, which is next to the Legendary Waters Resort & Casino. Follow Blueberry Lane for 3 miles. Turn right onto Frog Bay Road. Follow Frog Bay Road to its end. The access road to the trail is marked with a Frog Bay sign. The trail is on the left. Please respect all park boundaries. It is surrounded by private property.

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